Is Anthony Edwards the Next Michael Jordan?

If you’re a fan of the NBA in general and the NBA playoffs in particular, chances are you’re aware of the Minnesota Timberwolves. They haven’t reached championship status as of now in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, but they have certainly become one of the contenders. 

Winning a franchise-record 56 NBA games in 2023-24, they ‘slumped’ to 49 victories this past season. Minny disposed of the Los Angeles Lakers (five games) in the first round of the playoffs.

It’s no secret that a large part of the Wolves’ success is due to 23-year-old Atlanta native Anthony Edwards. Edwards was the first overall selection (University of Georgia) in the 2020 draft, and has improved his scoring average each season (19.3 points per game as a rookie to 27.2 points/game this season, fourth in the league). 

Exploits in the playoffs included a 43-point performance against the Lakers.

Though a loose cannon quite often (see those league-high 17 technical fouls [one-game suspension] and $380,000 in fines this past season), Edwards is undoubtedly his team’s first option on offense, leading the Wolves to a No. 3 seed in the NBA standings. 

Edwards is also the latest to be ordained ‘the next Michael Jordan,’ joining a fraternity which includes Penny Hardaway, Harold ‘Baby Jordan’ Miner, and some guy named Kobe Bryant.

All were ‘Air Apparents,’ with varying degrees of success. Whether Edwards comes close to that pedestal remains to be seen, since neither he nor his team has sniffed a Finals appearance. Minny was embroiled in a tight (and perhaps injury-altered) Western Conference semifinal series with the Golden State Warriors as of this writing, reflected in NBA odds.

Here’s a bit of a primer on Anthony Edwards and the 2025 NBA playoffs…

Why Do They Call Anthony Edwards ‘Ant-Man?’

‘Ant-Man’ was a moniker given to Edwards by his father, who, as the story goes, bestowed nicknames on all of his offspring. ‘Ant,’ as the first three letters of his name, probably made the task somewhat easier. 

Is Anthony Edwards a 3-Point Shooter? 

Anthony Edwards’ stats show his scoring average has increased throughout his career. So has his long-range shooting. Just under 33 percent as a rookie to just under 40 percent this past season (league-leading figures of 320 made on 811 attempts).

Who is Favored to Win the NBA Finals? 

At the outset of the postseason in the NBA, the Oklahoma City Thunder were +175 favorites to win the title. Sitting second on the board were the defending-champion Boston Celtics (+190), then the Cleveland Cavaliers (+550, or 11-2). As of this early-May writing during the playoffs’ second round, OKC was at 6-5 (+120), Boston at 13-4 (+325), with Cleveland and the Minnesota Timberwolves both at 9-1 (+900).

As those numbers suggest, odds are as fluid as NBA news, so a friendly reminder to do your homework and check the boards before making any wagers.

Has an NBA Team Ever Come Back from a 3-0 Deficit? 

It’s not easy winning four NBA games in a row, especially in the playoffs. There’s no team to win a series after losing the first three games. Four times, however, a team has forced a seventh game, but lost it. So, no “reverse sweeps” as far as the NBA and NBA scores are concerned.

Any Final Thoughts?

If you can get past the Oklahoma City Thunder, there is money to be made trying to figure out which team is hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy this season.